The Genius
by Allisango
Summary: Ivy Orion is an intern at the BAU and wants to be a full member of the team, but there is a character floating around the area that will definitely put a damper on her time there. Will Ivy make it, or will she face a perilous situation? *Disclaimer: some characters don't belong to me. This story takes place in an AU but follows some of the story. References to sex/torture/triggers
1. The Seminar - Introductions

After leaving my last class of the day at the University of Rhode Island, I was heading out when a sign in front of one of the lecture halls caught my eye:

-Seminar Open To Public-

FBI - Behavioral Analysis Unit

I figured, 'why not?,' as I entered the room. The hall had not been filled yet, so I took a seat in one of the front rows when a tall man with dark hair and hard facial features began the introductions.

"Good afternoon everyone," his voice deep and fatherly, "I am Supervisory Special Agent, Aaron Hotchner. I am the chief profiler for the Behavioral Analysis Unit and this is my team", he gestured to the rest of the agents on the stage. The rest of the team followed suit in announcing their title and names.

"I am SSA Jennifer Jereau," started a tall slender blonde woman. "Profiler and Communications Liaison. I coordinate between the team and families and organize press conferences if needed for a case."

The next agent began their introduction. Another tall slender woman, this one with dark hair and a sharp face, "I am SSA Emily Prentiss, Profiler with the BAU." Her speech was short as she looked to the next person.

This agent, clearly Italian, announced "I am SSA David Rossi, Senior Profiler and one of the agents who started the BAU." He spouted off a sassy remark and the audience laughed.

Next up was a tall, well-built, dark skinned man, "I am SSA Derek Morgan and I am also one of the Profilers of the BAU," his tone was deep, smooth and warm.

"Hi," chirped a brightly dressed woman as she waved playfully. "I am Penelope Garcia," she paused, "I'm the Technical Analyst for the group… I may not be a super-cool agent like these guys," she waved her thumb at the team, "but give me a digital shovel and I can dig up all kinds of dirt on people." The room erupted in giggles and the presentation continued.

This last agent, was tall and thin, stood kind of awkwardly and had a mess of curly brown hair. His clothing choice was that of a school science teacher crossed with a librarian. "Hello," he offered a quick wave and continued, "I am Doctor Spencer Reid, I am also a profiler with the BAU. I have 3 PHDs and 2 BAs; Mathematics, Chemistry and Engineering, Psychology and Sociology." He listed his degrees as if from a script and continued, his words gradually getting faster, "I also have an Eidetic Memory, I remember everything I see, read or hear-" Agent Morgan cut him off, "Woah, woah, woah there, slow down genius! No need to brag." The exchange elicited a chuckle from the team and audience.

Once the laughter died down, the seminar continued; but I couldn't take my gaze away from the messy-haired Dr. Reid. When he was passionate about a subject, he would hold his hands over his podium and fiddle them around, almost like he was playing with a piano or tinkering with a gadget.

Before long, the seminar ended and I quickly ran to catch up with one of the agents. "Agent Hotchner!" I shouted over the masses. He turned to where my voice was coming from.

"Agent Hotchner, wait up!" I panted, out of breath from shoving people away. He raised his eyebrow, watching my hand wave as I began to regain control of my breathing. "Hi, I'm Ivy Orion. I was wondering what I would have to do to become member of the team," I offered my hand.

He accepted and began to explain that I would need to become a member of the FBI and study psychology. He also mentioned that periodically, they needed interns for organizing and assistance with the caseload which was typically an easier way into the Bureau.

He handed me his business card, "If you need a reference, we're always looking for help and we would love to have you." I took the business card and studied it for about a minute and thanked him. I looked down and then up again and he was gone.

With that, I headed home and began my studies.

\--

Coming up:

After I had graduated, I dug around my things to find the information on the BAU applications. After unearthing the business card from Agent Hotchner, I reviewed the job openings. Scrolling through, I saw that they were actually looking for an intern to clean up some of the case files and help with digitizing them. I immediately sent in my resume, application and my recommendation from Agent Hotchner, eagerly awaiting a response.


	2. Interview - Beginning at the BAU

After I had graduated, I dug around my things to find the information on the BAU applications. After unearthing the business card from Agent Hotchner, I reviewed the job openings. Scrolling through, I saw that they were actually looking for an intern to clean up some of the case files and help with digitizing them. I immediately sent in my resume, application and my recommendation from Agent Hotchner, eagerly awaiting a response.

\--

A few weeks passed and my phone began to buzz on my paper covered coffee table; waking me up and causing me to drop my book on the floor. I didn't recognize the number, but answered anyways.

"Ivy Orion… Yes… Yes! I would love to. When would you like me to come down for the interview? Sure thing, I will be there within the week. Thank you again for the opportunity!"

I disconnected the call and began booking a flight and hotel room.

\--

After dropping off my things off at the hotel, I hailed a taxi to go to the Quantico Headquarters. Getting into the taxi, I pulled out the business card to provide the address to the cab driver and to inform Agent Hotchner that I was on my way.

I was rushing over to the elevator when an agent held her arm in the door to keep it from closing. I thanked her and recognized the dark haired woman, "…Agent Prentiss, right?" I asked. "Yes, hi… Um, have we met?" she held out here hand with a quizzical look on her face.

"Ivy Orion," I shook her hand firmly and straightened out my clothes as I answered her. "I attended a seminar a few years back and was very interested in the job… I have an interview to be an intern. Hopefully it goes well," I said with a large smile as I held up my hands and crossed my fingers. It seemed childish, but she had a smirk on her face as she shook her head.

The elevator bell rang and we headed towards two, heavy, glass doors. "Hotch's office is right up there," she gestured with her chin towards an open office door at the top of a small flight of stairs. I fixed my skirt one more time before knocking on the door frame, looking back over at Agent Prentiss. I could see her mouth 'good luck' with a thumbs up as I heard Agent Hotchner call my name.

"Ivy Orion? Hi, nice to see you again," He stood up and reached out for my hand. I reciprocated a handshake and he offered the seat. He walked over to close the door and began the interview.

I couldn't seem to relax. "You seem nervous," Hotch pointed out as he walked around and returned to his desk. I hummed in confusion. "You're sitting at the edge of the chair, your hands are folded together so tightly that your knuckles are turning white and your leg is bouncing. If I were to guess, your fight or flight response is kicking in," he pulled his chair under himself, "and you seem more 'flight' than 'fight'."

"Oh," I placed my hands on my knees to stop my anxious tendencies, "Right, um… Yeah, I guess I am, heh… that was actually spot-on, I'm impressed… but then again, you are a professional," I let a nervous giggle out and tucked my hair behind my ear.

A quiet chuckle escaped his lips, "pretty much, but it's all right. I know interviews can be nerve wracking. Don't worry though, we'll keep it brief."

*Out in the Bullpen*

"Who's that?" Morgan nodded towards Hotch's office. "A girl who was applying to be an intern… I think her name was Orion… She's kind of adorable," Prentiss answered with a slight giggle. "Is she nice, though?" The group turned to see Penelope shuffling along in her neon heels. "Tell me! Is she nice?" She whispered in a more frustrated tone.

I opened the door to the office and I was looking down to make sure I wouldn't trip. My ears perked as I heard someone babbling, wondering what the new girl's personality was going to be like.

Standing behind her now, I pushed my auburn hair out of my face again and fixed my glasses. Prentiss began flailing and motioning for her to stop as I cleared my throat.

"She's right behind me… Isn't she?" She froze and slowly turned around, tight-lipped smiles on Morgan and Prentiss's faces as they both tried to stifle a laughing fit. "Don't worry, it was just an interview… you might not even have to deal with me, we'll see…" I shrugged, "I can be a little sassy at times, but I'm pretty easy to get along with."

"O-o-okay," she stuttered, "I am Pe-" I interrupted her, "Penelope Garcia, and you must be Derek Morgan," I finished, turning to face him. He reached down for my hand and exposed his pearly-white teeth as he kissed the top of my hand. "Nice to meet you, little lady," he said in a flirty tone. "It's a pleasure to meet you too," I responded as I batted my eyelashes. You could practically hear Emily's eyes roll and feel Penelope's death glare.

We laughed and I thanked Prentiss again for the direction. I began walking away when Hotch stepped down the stairs in front of his office door. "I see you guys have met the new intern," he announced.

My face lit up, "wow, looks like genuine surprise, when were you going to tell her she got the job Hotch?" Prentiss said with a smile. "I was going to wait, but it seemed fitting to tell her now because she gets along well with you guys and so that she can prepare for a move," he answered.

I reached out for his hand again and shook it enthusiastically, "Thank you again and I will have to look for a place down here!" They looked at me, confused. Morgan tilted his head and asked where I was from. "I'm from Rhode Island-"

"Ahh! Rhode Island! The smallest state and their state drink is Coffee Milk… Tell me, how do you guys even make that?" a voice came from over by the door as a tall man made short work of walking to his station. He placed his aged, yellow shoulder bag on top of the file covered desk and an unsolved rubik's cube on one of the piles. He walked around to where the group was, tucking his hands into his pockets. Before he could introduce himself I recalled information about him, "you're Doctor Spencer Reid, 3 PHDs and 2 BAs," I extended my arm to shake his hand, "hi, I'm Ivy Orion."

He leaned back a little and just waved awkwardly. "He's got a 'germ' thing," Morgan commented with air quotes. "Actually, you are a lot less likely to spread germs by kissing than by handshakes," Reid responded to Morgan's statement, giving him a slight glare. I took a small step towards him. "Well… I mean... I don't mind if you don't," I stopped dead in the middle of my sentence when I realized that we were both surrounded by co-workers and that it didn't sound nearly as suggestive as I just made it. Both of our faces began to turn red and his jaw dropped.

I quickly put my hands over my mouth to stop myself from saying anything else embarrassing. "Uh…" I stuttered, "I'm sorry… I - Uh… That was inappropriate… I'm sorry sir," I apologized profusely to Hotch. Everyone in the area except Reid and I started laughing. "It's Okay, Orion," Hotch said between his giggles, "Wait until you hear the conversations between Morgan and Penelope. Welcome to the team." They all patted me on the back and congratulated me.

Chatting with the team and getting to know each other, we lost track of time and it was around 6pm when Morgan announced, "First round of drinks is on me tonight!" I nodded in agreement as we started to leave.

"Reid, you in?" Prentiss shouted to him as he walked back to his desk. "I don't think so," Reid started, "I have a lot of stuff to catch up on and -" Morgan cut him off, "oh quit making excuses pretty boy and come out with us! You can hustle for trivia again or something!" he teased. "Fine, I guess," Reid said with an exasperated sigh, but I'm not staying all night!"

We all piled into the elevator and headed to the garage. "Need a ride?" Prentiss asked me. I nodded again smiling as she thumbed to her car. Following along we climbed in and headed to the bar.

\--

Coming Up:

I showered shortly after getting back, changed into sleepwear and collapsed onto the bed. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched all night, but I pushed the feeling out if my mind and slowly drifted to sleep.


	3. Drink Up - Get to Know Me

We went to my hotel so I could put on something a little more comfortable. I opted for a pair of black leggings, a low-cut pale purple tunic and a pair of black flats. I also chose to pin back some of my hair with a purple flower hair clip and tie on my black ribbon choker. After adjusting my glasses and applying some gloss to my lips, I grabbed my bag and we left.

\--

We also swung by her apartment so she could change too, then Prentiss and I rode to the bar and were deep in conversation about the weird things that Rhode Islanders do: what coffee milk is and how to make it, party pizza, and how our perception of time is so skewed because it's (at most) less than an hour ride to the beach in the summer.

"Wait! So you mean to tell me that you can get to a beach… A nice, beautiful, sandy beach in what, 45-60 minutes?" She sighed out of jealousy, "Here it takes like… hours! And that's if these guys decide to take a break from killing..."

"That's a little dark," I giggled, "but, yeah, most of us can't stand road trips… sitting too long makes some of us crazy. A ten minute ride for me is a day-trip," I continued, laughing at her amazement. "We also have odd seasons and anything over 50 F is considered shorts weather," I added.

We pulled up to the bar and walked in to the group waving us over. Penelope, clearly intoxicated, stumbled towards me and began apologizing, complimenting and hugging me. She nearly fell once or twice from waving her arms around. "You're so cute and pretty and-" the drunken Penelope babbled, "and- and-"

"Hey! Glad you could make it Orion!" Morgan said, throwing one arm around Penelope and the other handing me an amber-colored drink with two thin red straws sticking out of the glass. I thanked him and sipped, my nose scrunching up to the heavy alcohol content of the beverage.

After a deep breath, trying to recover from the taste, two more people pushed through the crowd to meet me. The tall blonde held out her hand, "Hi, I'm JJ and this is Rossi," she smiled as introduced the two of them, "heard about what you said to Spence," she laughed. My face turning red again as I nervously laughed. "Yeah… About that," I started but was interrupted by Penelope, "it was great, you should have been there JJ!" her words as tipsy as she was, flailing to keep balance.

JJ turned to catch her before she fell, "what the hell did you drink Garcia?" JJ asked through her concerned smile. "It started with a Mai Thai… it's been downhill from there," Hotch said with arched eyebrows, trying to hold back from laughing. "Ahhh… Alright then, that's enough for you, miss Garcia," JJ nodded, took the brightly colored drink from Penelope and placed it on the table. "But… But I wasn't done with that–" she whined trying to grab at the glass being taken away while she was practically carried out by JJ and Morgan, who were telling her that it was time to go home.

Talking with Prentiss, Rossi and Hotch, I looked over their shoulders and saw Reid standing awkwardly by the bar, talking to another girl who's smile quickly faded as he started spouting facts about bars and safety. As she walked away, his face showing a defeated look, he pulled the rubik's cube out of his pocket. I excused myself from the group conversation and went to talk to Reid.

"Hey," I called out to him, pushing my glasses up on my nose. He began smiling again, "hey, you," he responded with a little more pep. "Listen, I'm sorry about earlier," I began apologizing, "it wasn't very professional, plus, we barely know each other… So, let's start over… Hi, I'm Ivy Orion, the new intern." I waved with a soft smile, remembering not to offer my hand again.

"Ahh, Orion," he said as he turned to me, "the great huntsman," a smile playing across his face. "Yes," I nodded, "unfortunately, no relation to the Greek God." He let out a chuckle and smirked at my knowledge.

"My parents were into all sorts of mythology and weren't about to let me not learn of the Greek God we share our names with," I smiled back as I climbed into the bar stool he was standing near.

The chair was tall and I was able to swing my legs freely. He leaned on the bar, his drink still pretty full. It was clear, so I assumed vodka or something along those lines, I wondered how many he had already. His words were smooth and not slurred.

"May I?" I asked, holding out my hand. He raised an eyebrow, "you can solve this?" he asked, reluctantly putting it in my hand. "You don't think I can, Dr. Reid?" I scoffed, "watch me." I started fiddling with the cube, mouthing out the pattern as I turned the sides.

Spencer stood there with a smirk while I placed the solved cube on the bar, making a soft clack as it hit the surface. "Wow. Who knew the intern was puzzle oriented," he laughed. "It's just one big pattern," I giggled, "my favorite one is my 12 sided cube… err… dodecahedron" I corrected myself. We both shared a chuckle and he returned the cube to his pocket.

We continued talking about interests and hobbies. I winced with every sip I took of the drink Morgan bought for me. "What did he get you?" Reid asked out of curiosity. My lips curling a bit, bearing my teeth, from my most recent taste. "Whiskey? Scotch? I have no idea," I responded, making a face at the glass, the ice clinking on the sides as I stirred the liquid around with the straws, hoping to water it down. "You?" I inquired, nodding to his drink. "Actually, it's water, I'm not much of a drinker," he answered honestly, taking a swig from the tall glass.

"Oh… So tell me, what actually makes you wonder how the Rhode Island state drink is made?" He smirked at the question. "Curious, that's all," he replied, taking another big gulp of his water.

As I finished up my drink, finally getting used to it's hard, bitter taste and explaining that the Rhode Island favorite, coffee milk, was made with a syrup and the various brands we had, I prepared myself to head back to my hotel.

I figured I would hail a taxi home, but Spencer refused to let me go alone, so he went with me and we rode together.

He walked me to my room to ensure I made it safely. "I'm glad we could clear up this morning's interaction," I said with a smile as I slid the key card into the lock.

"Likewise. See you tomorrow?" he inquired innocently. "Definitely," my smile grew and I waved goodbye, "oh, and Spencer-" I added, as he was walking away. He pivoted on his heels to face me again, "thanks for making sure I made it back safely," I gave a genuine smile as he nodded back.

"No problem, see you tomorrow," he returned the smile and waved as he left. I stood there for a few seconds as my mind blanked, but I snapped back into reality and entered my room.

I showered shortly after getting back, changed into sleepwear and collapsed onto the bed. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched at the bar all night, but I tried to ignore it and slowly drifted to sleep.

\--

Coming up:

"I had some paperwork to catch up on too, but this may interest you. Rossi just gave it to me," Hotch handed the file over. I had gotten used to the macabre images we had been seeing day to day and even physically visiting dump sites, but nothing could prepare me for this one.


	4. New Home - Bad News

New Home - Bad News

Moving down to Quantico was a bit more difficult than previously anticipated.

I had been staying with Emily for about two months before actually finding a place and I was still getting a routine down as the intern. When cases were local I was sometimes allowed out with them to try and help with running copies or preparing press conferences.

This most recent case was pretty rough and they were all pretty wiped.

* * *

"Hey guys! I've got your coffees!" JJ, Prentiss, Morgan and Penelope let out happy noises as they crowded around me for their caffeine fix.

After handing them out and placing Reid's on his desk before he came in, I finally made it to my iced coffee to which they all questioned.

"What?" I asked the agents standing around me. "You do realize that it's, like, twelve degrees out and snowing, right?" JJ responded with a playful smile.

"Yeah, what about it?" I paused for a moment and realized what they were talking about, "OH! Right - another New Englander thing - any time is iced coffee time," I laughed as I sipped. "And what's that in the bottom?" Morgan teased.

"Caramel and extra sugar… because I like burned sugar with my sugar," I explained.

"Does that even qualify as coffee? It looks more like milk with a little bit of coffee in it!" Prentiss suggested. While everyone was having a good laugh, Reid sauntered in and took a seat at his desk.

I let out a grumble. "Don't you guys have stuff to give me!?" I tried changing the subject as they continued to chuckle and gathered piles of files. I noticed Reid had gone over to his desk rather quietly, instead of handing me his most recent reports.

I walked over to him and leaned over to try and catch some eye contact. "Hey," I waved with a sincere smile. He looked up with a semi-angry expression and rolled his eyes before turning back to his work. His face looked a little paler than usual and his eyes were a bit puffy.

"Are you okay? You seem stressed," I mentioned, "is there anything I can do to help?"

"How would you know? You've only been working here for 3 months, 2 days, 12 hours and 39 minutes," he snapped and shoved files at me, "just do your job and leave". I took a step back and saw everyone go wide-eyed at our exchange. "I- I'm sorry if I've offended you. I'll... let you be then," I thumbed through the pages and headed to Penelope's office.

"Reid. What the hell was that?" Morgan scolded, "she was only trying to help, and you were fine with her a few weeks ago." The eye roll Reid let out was almost audible, "what does it matter to you, huh?" and Reid hurriedly gathered his things and rushed off to the conference room.

"Reid!" Morgan yelled as he chased after him. JJ and Prentiss just watched in concern as they went back to their areas.

I practically ran and just as I was closing the door, she caught the handle. I was startled and turned around, dropping all of the files I just collected and my coffee.

She quickly stepped over the mess to grab some paper towels off of her desk and helped pick up the papers. Some of which were coffee stained and the ink ran.

"Damn… look at what a mess I made," I put my palm on my forehead as I tried to sort everything and keep the coffee-drenched papers separate. "I've been here for '3 months, 2 days, 12 hours and 39 minutes' and I've already made such a mess of my only job…" I mocked and let out a deep sigh.

"Oh… Sweetie… don't get too hard on yourself. It was an accident," she placed her hand on my shoulder, "he's just having a bad day…"

"Did I cause it?" I asked as we stood up and took the files to my station. "No, hun, it wasn't you," she reassured me. "Then… what is it?"

"I don't think it's my place to say," replied with a sad smile. I hung my head again as I booted up my computer. "You're part of this team too, so you deserve to know. I just can't be the one to tell you…" she let her smile fade as she walked away.

Shortly after setting myself up, I heard the fax machine go off and Penelope get a notification about a case.

"That's my cue."

I printed copies, put files together, gathered tablets, pens and pads and headed to the conference room where Reid and Morgan were having a very heated argument.

"Reid, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Why is it me that's wrong?! She has no reason to know how I'm doing, nor does she have any evidence to how I act. She's not a profiler. She's just an intern. A pretty face in the office. Nothing more than a 'go-for' delivery girl with minor job requirements," Reid ranted, his words getting faster as he got angrier.

"Reid," Morgan tried to get him to stop his monologue.

"And you know what else?! When we first met her, she knew all of us right? So what strings did she pull to get this job, huh? I bet she didn't even qualify for it when she applied…"

"REID!" Morgan yelled, gesturing over Reid's shoulder. I could already feel the room tense up while the team entered to see an angry doctor Reid and the intern who shrank into a shell.

Taking a deep breath, I simply put the items on the table and took my seat in the corner of the room where I followed along with the notes. Penelope began reviewing the case and I let my mind wander for a few minutes.

I flipped through my copy when I heard Hotch call over to me. "Orion, I want to see you in my office," I looked up to the team staring at me and Reid's scowl. I nodded as he announced, "wheels up in an hour," and everyone cleared out of the room.

I jumped up and followed Hotch to his office with my head down. Hotch waved for me to come in and stepped around to close the door. I could almost hear my heartbeat in my ears.

"Are you all right?" He said in a monotone, but fatherly voice. "How much did you hear?" I replied. "Do you believe him?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "he's probably right though… I used your information as a reference and seemed to get the job on the spot… No secondary interview… No wait for a call… Nothing," my voice trailed off.

"Do you know why I hired you?"

I shook my head. "When I met you, you had a type of energy that I haven't seen since Penelope was hired, and although you did not have the complete training to be an agent, you have the drive and dedication to become one," he paused as he closed the shades.

I instantly became nervous, "Sir… Why did you really ask me to come to your office?" I looked down before turning back up to him. "You may not realize it, but you have been studying not only the cases we have handed to you for documentation but you have built up the skills used to catch these criminals. Let's see how you do. Profile Morgan."

He sat behind his desk and waved for me to sit. "Sir, I-" He stopped me, "we have an hour. I think you can do this in 15 minutes. Go ahead," he nodded as I sat down.

"Well… Morgan has what I would refer to as a 'big brother' mentality. Would do anything for his family, both blood related and chosen and would do all he could to protect them. He doesn't trust easily, but when you earn that trust, you can always count on him to have your back," I stopped to judge his expression.

"Continue," he urged, glancing at his watch. "Oh," I took a second as I picked at my nails a little, "you can usually tell a person by their coffee order too. He typically has a splash of cream and little sugar. This would mean that he always expects a bitter taste, but there is a hint of sweeter things and he holds on to that optimism in every case," I stopped when he checked the time again and gestured for me to explain further.

"His belongings aren't perfectly placed but they're in practical areas, meaning he has easy access to the tools he needs, however, he sometimes has to shuffle through what he has before finding what he is looking for. Almost like when he finds an answer, it's like an epiphany."

"Very good, we have five more minutes. Now, profile Reid. "

There was a quick knock at the door, saving me from the assignment. JJ popped her head in with a distressed look. "Sir, There's been another abduction," she said quickly and turned away to head out.

"We'll pick back up when we get back from this case," he urged, "for now, we need to get going."

* * *

It seemed like the case went by so fast. The team ended up catching the guy right before he killed the woman, saving her from the same fate as the five others.

Knowing they were on their way home, I thought about how Reid had been stand-offish and angry lately and how I was only greeted with scowls and half-hearted gestures.

Still having no idea what I did wrong, I eagerly awaited their arrival in Hotch's office.

"You're sitting there to either avoid the problem, or you're eager to finish the assignment." He studied my defeated face. "This is why you're the boss," I huffed, "let's just get the assignment over with." Hotch closed the door and shades again, and he motioned for me to begin.

My voice was barely above a whisper as I started. "Well...He's very detail and pattern oriented… He picks up on even the slightest of movements and word choices." I paused to catch my breath, "his belongings are the exact opposite of Morgan where he knows where everything is and can easily access his tools. Going back to the coffee analogy, his coffee has quite a lot of sugar in it, showing he has a sweeter side to him and he's not just all brains."

I studied his face for reassurance. "But lately, he's been withdrawn and irritable, and overall just… well, excuse my language, but he's been a real jerk." I stopped quickly and waited for confirmation.

Hotch just sat for a moment, blinked slowly and told me that he observed the same behaviors. "The last case we were on, he was captured by the unsub and tortured," he paused, peering over my shoulder again before he continued, "I don't think he ever fully recovered before coming back."

He hung his head for a few minutes before starting again. "We want to get you into some FBI training classes and have you on the team, officially." My brain blanked for a few minutes so I could process the information. "You don't have to answer now, but hopefully you will want to join us," He finished with a smile as he gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and walked by to escort me out of his office.

* * *

Before leaving for the day, I had some work to finish up in Penelope's office. With my back to the door, someone tapped my shoulder with a file. "Oh my -Jeez- Hotch!" I shouted, holding my chest to keep my beating heart from escaping, "what time is it?" I tried changing the subject, prompting my nerves to calm down.

He let out a chuckle, "it's 9pm, why haven't you gone home?"

I dramatically gestured to the mountain of files on my desk, "these ain't gon' get themselves filed!" My comment was dripping with sarcasm. He laughed again, this time a little louder. "And why haven't you gone home? I usually collect the files in the morning... why are you delivering this one?" I returned the inquiry, instantly feeling my heart sink.

"I had some paperwork to catch up on too, but this may interest you. Rossi gave it to me before we left," he handed the file over. I had gotten used to the macabre images we had been seeing day to day, but nothing could prepare me for this one.

I raised my hand to cover my gaping mouth. Women were being cut up. My own back began to burn as I continued to look through the file. These girls had red or reddish brown hair and green eyes. This unsub had a type… and it was eerily similar to my appearance.

They were being released, alive, with the trauma to their bodies and only wearing black lingerie. I looked up at Hotch, "do we have any leads?" my eyes showing a helplessness that I never thought would surface.

"Sadly, no, and because it's only been 4 in a span of 8 months with long gaps between missings, it's not considered a priority," he raised his brow in concern, "so be very cautious."

I cut him off, "I know... Don't leave drinks unattended, travel alone or even have an established routine."

He nodded in return and picked up where he left off, "This is why I wanted to have you in the field more. To keep you safe and try and build up your skills." I thought about it for a minute and realized that's why he wanted me in training courses.

"Unfortunately, there's no pay raise, but you'll be provided a laptop and access to the systems. We'll have Garcia go over some coding so we can utilize you when she's looking into other parts of the case," he finished as I slowly closed the folder and stared at him for a moment.

"I'm not sure how to feel sir," I was consumed with both happiness and terror. I would get to travel with the team but I would be looking over my shoulder in my new home.

"We haven't had any missings reported yet and these 4 were high risk, prostitutes and drug addicts. But his confidence may be building, so we want to exercise caution… okay?" He placed a hand on my shoulder, "I'll take you home tonight, just let me know when you're ready to head out." A soft smile emerged as he headed out of the office.

"Hey, Hotch-" I started. he furrowed his brow at the question and then relaxed them, "don't worry so much about the team accepting you. You work well without direction and you're a good fit for the position. Does that answer your question?"

I nodded with a smile and went back to my work. My heart raced, but I had to focus or I would fall behind.

Once I had finished for the night, I went to find Hotch for the ride home when I saw his phone to his ear. He had a distressed look in his eyes as he waved me over.

"Call in the team and have them meet us on the plane. We've got a serious one out in Ohio. Four women found in public parks dead and posed with symbols drawn on them. Do you have a go-bag?"

* * *

Coming Up:

Settling in, I heard the clink of glass on the floor. Growing curious, I quietly placed the book on the coffee table and looked under the couch to find a vial.

*Note: Sorry for the delay everyone. Life had gotten pretty hectic around my last post so I want to thank you all for your patience! I'm hoping to start posting more regularly now and get this story out of my head!*


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